Power plants–especially coal-fired boilers–pose a set of process control problems unparalleled in other industries. Rapid load ramps, continuous unit demand changes, variable fuel quality and process ...

Plant engineers and technicians are frequently asked to tune the controller when a control loop’s process value has prolonged or significant excursions from the set point. But in many instances, no ...

Just over a decade ago, an article titled, "Advanced Control Strategies Move into the Field" (Control, October 2008), highlighted three evolving trends in the process control world that would "make ...

The controller contains the “control algorithm,” or control logic equation. The most common control algorithm is called PID, which stands for Proportional (P)-Integral (I)-Derivative (D). When the ...

At the core of any modern industrial process is a control system guaranteeing precision, stability, and efficiency. Perhaps the most commonly used are PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) ...

In 2012, Automation World published an article looking at the decision factors faced when choosing electric or pneumatic actuators. More than a decade later, manufacturing engineers and OEMs still ...

Switching power supplies rely on feedback control loops to ensure that the required voltage and current are maintained under varying load conditions. Design of the feedback control loop influences ...

Adding automation to a closed-loop circulating system improves information and management capabilities that contribute to greater safety and efficiency in drilling operations. Adding automation to a ...

In process flow control, there are many factors affecting variability, but the greatest contributor is the control valve’s performance. Issues associated with control valves, such as dead band, ...